Information for participants of a traffic accident in the Czech Republic
If you have caused damage by your vehicle in the Czech Republic
Tell the injured party your name, surname and place of residence, name, surname and place of residence or company name and registered office of the vehicle owner and operator, company name and registered office of the insurer, with whom the MTPL Insurance was concluded, and the insurance contract number, registration (plate) number of your vehicle, with which the damage was caused.
Call the Police of the Czech Republic in case that a person is injured or killed during a traffic accident, a material damage to any of the vehicles involved, including the goods transported exceeds the amount of CZK 100.000 or a material damage was caused to a property of a third party. The police must also be called if a road component or accessory has been damaged (e.g. a guardrail, traffic sign, bridge railing, etc.), or if the parties involved in the accident are unable to ensure that road traffic is restored. Breach of the obligation to report a traffic accident to the Police of the Czech Republic is considered as an offence. Assistance of the Police of the Czech Republic by the traffic accident is free of charge.. If a traffic accident is investigated by the Police of the Czech Republic, sign the police protocol only if you agree to its wording. Otherwise, state your reservations in it.
In case participants involved in a traffic accident have no obligation to report a traffic accident to the police participants are required to fill in the traffic accident form, sign it and immediately hand it over to the insurer. The form must contain relevant data regarding a traffic accident (date, time and place, identification of participants and vehicles, description of the cause, course and consequences of a traffic accident). It is recommended to take photo documentation of the place of a traffic accident and damaged car parts, ideally from multiple angles. It is appropriate to use the "European Accident Record" form. The template of the form (in Czech) can be downloaded from the Ministry of Transport's website (www.mdcr.cz), it is recommended to have this form printed with you for the case of need.
Write down contact details of traffic accident participants and witnesses.
Without any delay notify your insurer in writing that a loss event has occurred, submit relevant documents specifying all facts of this loss event including a statement of requested compensation and its amount. Follow your insurer's instructions during the investigation. The injured party's right to compensation will be investigated within 3 months from the date of filing a claim and the insurer will inform you about an amount of insurance cover or provide an explanation of rejected or reduced claims.
In case the injured party resides in another state the person who caused the accident provides him/her documents for claiming his/her right to compensation and notify his/her own insurer that a loss event has occurred.
If anyone else has caused damage to you by his vehicle in the Czech Republic
Find out from the offender (if possible by examination of his/her documents) name, surname and place of residence, name, surname and place of residence or company name and registered office of the vehicle owner, registration (plate) number and international code of the country of registration of the vehicle by which the damage was caused, company name and registered office of the insurer, with whom the MTPL Insurance was concluded and the insurance contract number. In case the vehicle with which the damage was caused is registered abroad, find out also the Green Card number and its time validity or the frontier insurance number of such vehicle and if it is possible make a copy of these documents.
The rules for reporting a traffic accident to the Police of the Czech Republic or filling up the traffic accident form (optimally the "European Report of a Traffic Accident" form) are the same as those described above for all traffic accidents in the Czech Republic.
Write down contact details of traffic accident participants and witnesses. Provide your name and address to any participant of the traffic accident who ask you for it.
You should contact the relevant MTPL insurer of the offender with your claim for compensation and with all relevant documentation which could prove the liability of the driver or operator of other vehicle for the damage. In case the damage was caused by the operation of an unidentified vehicle or by a person without the MTPL insurance the injured party can contact the Czech Insurers' Bureau (www.ckp.cz) which provides compensation from the guarantee fund. The insurer or the Czech Insurers' Bureau will investigate announced loss event within 3 months from the date of filing a claim and inform about amount of insurance cover or provide an explanation of rejected or reduced claims.
If the offender of a traffic accident is a driver of a vehicle registered abroad apply the same rules and procedures as in case of an accident involving Czech citizens. Search out the information on a claims representative appointed by offender‘s MTPL insurer in an information centre on the website of The Czech Insurers' Bureau. The claims representative will handle your claim for compensation and ensure payment of compensation. In case no claims representative is appointed notify the Czech Insurers' Bureau which is under an obligation to provide compensation.
Where to obtain detailed information
- The relevant insurance undertaking, eventually its claims representative
The Czech Insurers’ Bureau (www.ckp.cz), which also operates the driver helpline 1224 and registers a list of claims representatives of Czech insurers abroad and foreign claims representatives in the Czech Republic.